Madison police officer identified as shooter in fatal bike incident

Madison police have named Officer Kiel Baitinger-Peterson as the shooter who killed 38-year-old Corey Ruiz on a bike in July, prompting protests and a state investigation.

Investigators from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation announced that Officer Kiel Baitinger-Peterson, a white Madison police officer with almost 11 years on the force, fired the shots that killed 38-year-old Black cyclist Corey Ruiz on July 22. Ruiz had been stopped after calls about someone inspecting parked cars and an alleged burglary attempt; two officers tried unsuccessfully to Taser him before Baitinger-Peterson shot him.

Video captured by witnesses shows the confrontation, but Madison officers do not wear body cameras. Baitinger-Peterson and the three other officers present have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the state investigation, which has no set completion date. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne will assess the investigative report before deciding on possible charges, while civil-rights attorney Ben Crump is calling for the officer to be prosecuted. Police union head Jim Palmer voiced worries about the officer’s and his family’s safety, urging the public to refrain from prejudgment.